Track gauge and level



.L T. MELDRUM.

TRACK GAUGE AND LEVEL.'

APPLlcmoN man Dsc. e, 1919.

1,41 3,41 6. Patented Apr. 1s, 1922.

a Iq- 5 flf' @1er K J-- 7- 1 )s l S .I G u` 6 u mlllllllllll lcurved tracks.

unirsesra-.rss

Jorrit T.' ivrE-Lnnnivr, or TTIrrEceinen, oHfo.

1 TRAcirf'GAUGn-nnin y Specification of zetters'fatent. QQH'QQ 18,

VApplicatioii filed December y6, 1919. Serial-No 342,948.

To allrfwkom it may renace/m:

. YBe it known that l,-JoHN T. Mnnnnnrr,

a citizen of the United States, residing jat Tippecanoe, in the -fcountyvof Harrisonfland :State of Ohio, haveV invented certain new and useful Improvements .a Track 'Gauge and Level, of which the following is a specification.

This invention :has for its object ter-provide va combined level and gauge for testing the eleva-tion of the rails o-f a railway Vtrack Ato lensureproper spacing of tthe rails and to facilitate levellingand banking the rails for Another object is the provisionof a, device of this character which is of exceptionally'.

Figure l represents a side elevation of the improved gauge and level.

Figure 2 represents an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary end elevation of the gauge, and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views the numeral 5 indicates the main or bottom bar of a frame structure composed of a plurality of relatively short pipe sections connected at intervals by the T-,couplings 6. The end couplings 6 are connected with the centrally disposed members of terminal T-couplings 7 each of which is connected at its terminals with elbows 8 receiving relatively short pipe sections 9 supportin the angular track engagin members 10 which latter are lpreferably ormed of strips of angle iron of adequatesize to lend requisite strength and rigidity thereto in order that the parts will withstand the rough usage and abuse that devices of this charac- 'plings Vl rig-idly held in position.

ter are ordinarily subjected to. vertically disposed ,portions of the `end couplings 6 are connected with Ythe vertical frame inem-v bers -11 which I:are also preferably formed of sections and are connected bythe couarenr ortica.

Y VElbows 12 are connected with the .upper l extremities of the end frame Vmembers 11 and connect with the terminalsof the sectional top member '14 of theframe -The sections of the top frame member 14 are f conne eted by T- couplings l`1.5 the vertical "p or-` .tions of which aredisposed in vertical f melt Withffthe Corresponding Iportions, ,0f certain-of theJ T-eouplings; 6 andreceivertlie .y parallel inter-inedi'ate frame members,116,; a

coupling 17 being interposed between,the`V two relatively short pipe, SQCODS .dspsed between the couplings 15.k

Y v. y H75. y* Y A'Isupporting plate 18 preferably ,formedv V fof. woodv isV provided 'with' groovedfterminals j snugly receiving the parallel intermediate Vframe"members 16` and the, top Vand'bottoinV f I y edges of thesupporting .plate are firmlyA eo clamped between-the flanges19 vof the-T- couplings 6 andV 15 whereby theyplateiis iA gauge glass Y2O is-setin the top 'hori- V'zontal edge of theplate 18and the side por- 'tions VVof the plate adjacent tlie'glas's are 'preferably/' cut aw'ay'to expose the glass tubel A preferredtype'of gravity actuated indicating element 21 for indicating fvariations in the inclination ofthe frame structure, as whenlaying banked tracksjat curves,

is secured in a conveniently visible positionl upon 'the board or plate 18V adjacent the. Y

tube 20.V

As will-be understood, the vertically dis# A posed portions of the angular-track engaging members' 10 are disposed inV properly.` spaced relation to providev a gauge for. setting the track rails at the proper distance apart and by reference to the tube 20 the operator" is capable of quickly and convenientlydetermining when the rails are levelwith each other and, by reference to .thegravity actuated indicator 21 the relative elevation of the track rails is indicated.

For convenience in the transportation of the track gauge and level over the rails of a railway track, rollers 10a may be rotatably secured to the outer portions ofthe dependn ing members 'of the angle irons or trackengaging members 10 as suggested in Fig. 3, l

but as these rollers are detrimental to accurate spacing of the rails they are removed when the track gauge 1s in actual use, which removal may be readily accomplished by unscrewing the winged nuts b from the inner threaded ends of the spindle 10c, on which the rollers l()a are journaled, and withdrawing the latter from engagement with the openings formed in the depending portions or flanges of the angle iron members l0. Due to the screw threaded connection between the several parts constituting the frame structure, the: length of the latter may be readily varied, as desired, to secure accuracy between the track engaging members 10 and to vary the space between the latter as may be found necessary in properly spacing the rails of tracks of varying gauges. The couplings connecting the sections and vertical end members ll of the frame structure permit convenient separation of these sections subsequently to which the sections lof the bottom and top members 5 and 14 may be conveniently adjusted to secure the desired Variations in the length of the entire frame structure.

. What I claim is:

l. A track gauge comprising an elongated skeleton frame structure, angular track engaging members carried by the frame structure, said fra-me structure consisting of longitudinal and transverse frame members and couplings therebetween, said frame members and couplings having screw threaded connections permitting the distance between the track engaging members to be varied, and an indicator clamped between said intermediate members.

2. A track gauge including an elongated skeleton frame structure consisting of superposed longitudinal members, end vertically extending and intermediate connecting members between the longitudinal members, angular track engaging members carried by the terminals of the lower longitudinal member, and' an indicator supporting plate clamped between the intermediate connecting members. f'

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature hereto.

JOHN T. IVELDRUM. 

